1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a soil injection apparatus in which a plurality of probes are guided and independently controlled, thereby preventing probe breakage and preventing fluid from being dispersed until the probe reaches a defined depth.
2. Related Art
Conventional systems have been used to inject various chemicals to subsurface areas to effect the growth conditions of soils for grass, plants or trees. U.S. Pat. No. 4,903,618 discloses a soil injection system mounted to a conventional farm vehicle without modification to the chassis of the vehicle. The system includes a single, hydraulically operated ground penetrating bit with an attached fluid injector which are operated to penetrate the ground. The penetrating bit is designed to be coupled to and powered by the vehicle's hydraulic system. The system further includes a chemical (fluid) supply tank, a pressurization tank and a chemical metering tank. The pressurization tank supplies pressurized gas to the chemical supply tank to transfer chemicals from the chemical supply tank to the chemical metering tank. The pressurization tank also supplies pressurized gas to the chemical metering tank to force the chemicals contained therein into the fluid injector when the bit is penetrating the ground.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,802,996 describes a mobile or portable soil aerator fertilizer system. The system includes a wheeled frame that mounts a tank and a hydraulic pump that operates hydraulically actuated probes which penetrate the ground. A compressor mounted on the frame delivers compressed air to the probes when the probes are in the ground. The air is released through discharge openings in the probes. Liquid fertilizer and other like materials stored in the tank can be delivered to the probes for discharge into the ground through the openings in the probes. The wheels of the frame can be removed to allow the system to be attached to the flat bed of a truck.
U.S. Pat. 5,115,750 describes a subsoil treatment apparatus mounted on the back of a truck bed. The apparatus includes an air compressor and a plurality of hydraulically powered hammers that drive spikes into the ground. The hammers are driven by a hydraulic pump powered by the engine of the truck. Compressed air supplied by the compressor is injected into the ground via apertures in the spikes to break up, loosen and aerate compacted soil.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,546,886 describes a soil treating apparatus mounted on the back of a truck bed. The apparatus includes a hydraulic system that causes an injector pipe with an injector point mounted at its free end to be deeply inserted into the ground (20 or more feet) in a step-by-step manner to enable the soil to be treated at different depths. At the end of each insertion step, soil treating slurry is injected via the injector point. The above-described patents have the limitation that probes can easily break off when inserted into excessive resistance in the soil and will continue to disperse fluid into the soil at uneven depths or on the top of the soil.
It is desirable to provide a soil injection apparatus in which a plurality of probes are guided to prevent breakage and are controlled to emit fluid only after the probe reaches a defined depth.